NASA’s Perseverance rover has detected ultrafine dust particles on Mars, some measuring as small as 100 nanometers, raising concerns about potential health risks to future astronauts.
The discovery was made in Jezero Crater using the rover’s Planetary Instrument for X-ray Lithochemistry (PIXL), which found that the particles could penetrate human lungs and potentially harm vital organs.
NASA said the findings will help improve the design of spacesuits, habitats, and cleaning systems as the agency prepares for possible human missions to Mars in the 2030s.
